


FIC:  Nightmare Realized (Magnificent Seven)

by HollyLyn1217



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-13
Updated: 2013-10-13
Packaged: 2017-12-29 08:21:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1003139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HollyLyn1217/pseuds/HollyLyn1217
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris goes after Vin and his Marshal escort.</p>
            </blockquote>





	FIC:  Nightmare Realized (Magnificent Seven)

**Author's Note:**

> I finally convinced myself to dive into the pool and

Universe: Old West

Episode Related: "Sins of the Past"

Category: Missing/alternate scene, drama, angst, h/c

Summary: Chris goes after Vin and his Marshal escort.

Pairing: Chris/Vin

Author's Notes: I finally convinced myself to dive into the pool and  
post my first M7 fic. I've been writing for a number of years in a  
number of fandoms but have suffered through a horrendous bout of  
writer's block (I guess you'd call about 6 years horrendous). This  
story has been finished for quite some time and I pulled it out from  
time to time to tweak it a little. I think it's time to let it  
spread its wings and fly.

I got this idea watching and re-watching (a tough job I know but  
someone had to do it!) "Sins Of The Past". I kept a very close watch  
on Vin's hands as to when they were tied to the saddle horn and it  
looked to me like after Vin was placed back on his horse after his  
conversation with Eli Joe his hands were tied to the horn again. I  
could be wrong. But … this idea of the consequences of that got into  
my head and this alternate/missing sequence was born. I do borrow  
dialogue from the episode itself but have tried to expand on the  
scenes and give Chris and Vin a little `comfort' time before they  
ride back to Four Corners.

*-*-*-*-*

 

Nightmare Realized

By: Holly Lyn

 

"Aw hell!" Chris Larabee cursed as he finally got a clear look at  
what was happening below him on the trail.

Larabee had spent hours discretely following the trail left by the  
four Federal Marshals who were escorting Vin Tanner to Tascosa where  
he was to stand trial for a murder he did not commit. Until now  
Larabee had been content to keep his distance and wait for an  
opportunity to help the tracker escape from what would surely be a  
travesty of justice but the stakes had unexpectedly been changed.  
The Marshals had left the route towards Texas and three other men had  
joined them, one of whom was showing far too much interest in the  
blindfolded and helplessly bound Tanner.

Chris' gut clenched hard as the posse and their prisoner stopped  
under a small stand of trees. Vin was dragged off of Peso and  
maneuvered into the middle of the seven men. Marshal Yates yanked  
the bandanna away from Vin's eyes and Chris watched as Vin recoiled  
in shock from the overly interested newcomer. Larabee would have  
given anything to hear the conversation between the two men. It was  
obvious that they knew each other and it was also evident that there  
was no love lost between them.

The hostile stranger said something short and sharp to Yates and  
backed away from Tanner. Vin was manhandled back onto his horse and  
his bound hands were tied tightly to his saddle horn. Another man  
moved his horse forward, getting ready to place the rope around  
Tanner's neck.

Larabee's face darkened as it became apparent that his young lover  
was moments away from experiencing his worst nightmare. Even if  
Chris had been half the marksman that Tanner was, making the long  
shot once the hanging had begun was not an option. Vin's hands were  
tied to his saddle horn. The minute Peso was forced to run from  
under him, the tracker's life was over. His neck would snap  
instantly from the pull between his wrists and the noose if his head  
wasn't just outright ripped off from the force of the yank. For the  
same reason, Chris almost couldn't risk trying a shot before the  
hanging; if he missed and Peso took it into his head to run, the end  
result would be the same only Tanner would be dead by Larabee's hand  
instead of Yates'.

Chris crouched behind a tree and took careful aim with his  
rifle. "Just hold on, Vin," he muttered. "I promised you wouldn't  
go out this way and I ain't plannin' on letting you down." He kept  
his head down and his eyes alert for the best possible time to take  
his shot.

oo00oo

It took a moment for Vin's eyes to refocus once Yates removed the  
bandanna and the shock of seeing the man who was standing in front of  
him rocked him to his soul. He tried to cover it with a casual  
statement, "Well, well. You're a long way from home, Eli Joe."

The longhaired murderer chuffed with laughter. "Well, I figured I'd  
see some more of this beautiful country … Look up old friends."

The two men stared at each other for long moments. The movement of  
the other six men in the area was ignored during the silent battle of  
wills. Eli Joe broke first. He handed Yates a rope and looked  
Tanner straight in the eye, "Hang him."

Vin's eyes widened marginally but he didn't budge. Didn't back  
down. Yates grabbed his right biceps and dragged him back to Peso.  
Two of the other `marshals' manhandled him up into the saddle and  
made sure his hands were tightly lashed to his saddle horn. Vin  
swallowed knowing that this was not going to be an easy death. He  
stared disdainfully down at his tormentor, "You sure went to a whole  
lotta trouble not to face me alone."

Eli Joe drew a big hunting knife from a sheath at his waist and ran  
his thumb along the blade. "You're thinking it's cowardly. I think  
it's smart. See, I know all about your six amigos. You all been  
making quite a name for yourselves around here."

Refusing to let his growing terror show, Vin kept the dialogue going,  
the disgust he felt towards this coward evident in his voice, "Real  
proud of yourself, ain't ya?" He gulped silently as Yates tested the  
length and strength of the rope in his hands.

"Yeah, I suppose," Eli Joe acknowledged the contempt he'd  
heard. "But it had to be done. You see I ain't been sleeping too  
well ever since I pinned that murder on you."

Vin's eyes flicked to Yates who couldn't help but hear what was being  
said. "Your conscience bothering you?" he asked evenly, hoping to  
prompt Eli Joe into admitting his guilt outright in front of  
witnesses.

Eli Joe laughed. "I ain't got a conscience."

"What about Jess Kincaid? You killed an innocent farmer just to  
frame me for murder." Vin eyed Yates who was listening closely to  
the conversation now.

"It got you off my trail, didn't it?" Eli Joe spat back. "Of course,  
this little voice inside keeps telling me Vin Tanner's gonna come  
looking for me. Settle up old scores. So I figured I'd find you  
first. I'm glad I did." He glared at the overly interested  
Yates. "Let's do this. Gotta get back on the trail."

One of the other so-called marshals rode up on horseback and flicked  
Vin's hat off so it hung down his neck on its stampede strap. He  
took the rope from Yates and began shaking out the noose.

This was it, Vin thought. He prayed that Chris would not be the one  
to find his body; or if he was the one that he wasn't alone. He  
raised his head and sat straight and proud in his saddle.

oo00oo

This was it, Chris thought as the man started to raise the noose  
towards Vin's head. Now or never. He'd never been prouder of Tanner  
than he was at the moment the young man straightened up in his  
saddle. He was going to meet whatever happened with dignity and  
strength regardless of the fear he had to be feeling in his heart.  
Larabee popped his head out of its cover from the nearby tree and  
aimed his rifle at the ground near the second horse's hooves. He'd  
only have one chance at this.

Three shots were fired in rapid succession. They struck the ground  
in front of the second horse, the tree trunk, and close enough to the  
man who'd been tormenting Vin that he was forced to duck and hide  
behind the tree.

Amidst shouts of "Take cover!" and "Don't let him get away!" Vin  
grabbed hold of his saddle horn and booted Peso into a headlong  
gallop trying to get out of the line of fire from his rescuer and the  
fake marshals.

Chris was still firing, keeping the seven men at bay while giving Vin  
his best chance to escape. Vin's tormentor was the only one actually  
shooting at Tanner as he fled but he was still behind the tree trunk  
and Chris couldn't get a clear shot at him. He could only hope that  
the man's aim wasn't as good as his own. The six other horses  
skittering around and bolting away added to the confusion.

Checking one last time to ensure that none of the men would be able  
to follow him and Vin any time soon, Chris mounted his own horse and  
took off after the fleeing man. He rounded the small hillock and  
spotted Tanner close to a quarter mile away already and not showing  
any signs of slowing down. Booting Pony into a flat out run, he  
tried to close the distance as quickly as possible without getting  
himself killed in the process.

Spurred on by fear for Vin's safety, Chris urged Pony faster still  
and began to gain ground. As he got closer, he could see part of the  
problem. Tanner hadn't had a chance to get a proper grip on the  
reins before taking off and had dropped them. With his hands still  
tied to the saddle, there was no way for him to regain control.  
They'd been damned lucky that Peso hadn't tripped on the loose reins  
and sent both of them down.

"Vin!" Larabee yelled. "Hang on!"

Tanner appeared to nod once briefly and hunched further over in the  
saddle to get a better grip with his hands. Chris could see his lips  
moving as though he was trying to talk Peso into slowing down.

"Atta boy, Vin," Larabee encouraged as he closed in a little more.  
He couldn't tell if it was his imagination or not but Peso's pace  
seemed to be decreasing. The black's coat was lathered with sweat  
and the horse's head was bobbing heavier with each step.

Ten more strides and Pony's head was right up along side of Vin's  
right thigh. Vin's eyes flicked back quickly as if to re-confirm  
that it *was* Chris next to him before his attention returned to  
staying in the saddle and he resumed speaking to Peso again in a low,  
soothing voice that seemed to be having some sort of effect on the  
tiring animal.

As he pulled up next to Peso's head, Chris sent a quick prayer  
heavenward that the cantankerous animal would not take offense at his  
next move and reached out a hand to clutch at the cheek strap of the  
big gelding's bridle. He let out a breath that he didn't even  
realize he had been holding as the horse blew fiercely through his  
nostrils and slowed his pace to a canter, then to a dancing trot and  
finally bounced tiredly to a halt.

For a few moments, the only movement was the heaving sides of both  
mounts as they struggled to calm their breathing. Chris' hand was  
still wrapped around the bridle strap, his fingers refusing to let go  
as he brought himself under some semblance of control. As soon as he  
pried his grip free, Peso's head drooped almost to the ground as the  
headlong run caught up with him.

Patting Pony's neck for a job well done, Chris slid out of the saddle  
onto decidedly shaky legs and turned to get his first good look at  
Vin. A cheeky quip died on his lips as he took in the look on the  
tracker's face.

Vin was paler than he'd ever seen him, his unshaven jaw clenched  
tight and his eyes wide and unseeing. His hands were still clasped  
around the saddle horn, fingers bloodless from the tense grip, and  
the ropes around his wrists had bitten into them, chafing and tearing  
the tender skin beneath. Even more telling were the continuous  
tremors that wracked his lean body; Chris had a sneaking suspicion  
that sheer cussedness and the rope were the only things keeping  
Tanner in the saddle.

Running a soothing hand up and down Vin's thigh, Chris unsheathed the  
tracker's big hunting knife and wedged the blade delicately into the  
ropes to free Vin's hands. A hiss of pain escaped through Tanner's  
clenched teeth as the rope momentarily tightened but the strands  
parted soon enough and Chris gently began to unwind the binding from  
the abused flesh. Blood began to flow more freely and little  
spatters dripped down onto Vin's tan pants but still his fingers  
remained tightly entwined around the saddle horn. A shaky, raspy  
sigh was followed by, "I don't think I c'n move my hands, cowboy.  
Least ways, they don't seem to wanna do it when I ask 'em."

"Shh, it's okay," Chris soothed. "Let me help." He grabbed his  
canteen and some cloth from his saddlebag and dribbled water to wet  
the cloth. As gently as he could, he wiped the blood from Vin's  
wrists and massaged the paralyzed fingers to get some of the feeling  
back into them. He was soon rewarded with little twitches as  
Tanner's hands finally released their death grip and fell to sit  
loosely on his quivering thighs.

"Thanks, Chris," Vin mumbled tiredly.

"Now, d'ya think you're ready to get your feet back on solid ground?"  
Chris moved around to Vin's left to offer any assistance needed.

Vin slipped his feet from the stirrups and leaned forward to swing  
the right one over Peso's rump. If Larabee hadn't been standing  
there, the tracker would have hit the ground with a solid thump. As  
it was, Chris caught his downward slide and kept going with him all  
the way to the dirt as Vin's knees buckled. "M' legs don' seem to  
wanna work neither," Tanner snorted sharply. The shakes took over in  
earnest then and Vin clutched frantically at Chris' serape as he  
buried his face in the broad chest in front of him. His breaths  
started coming out in harsh pants as he struggled for control and  
clawed at a non-existent noose. "God, Chris," he moaned, "I c'n feel  
it around m' neck. Cuttin' off my air. Please make it go away. God  
damn Eli Joe to hell!" The last was rasped almost too quietly to be  
heard.

The desperate plea tore at Chris' heart and his own helplessness in  
the face of such anguish galled him. Tanner was one of the toughest  
sons of a bitch he knew but this had frightened the young man to the  
core of his soul. Pulling his lover into a tender embrace, Chris let  
his right hand stroke soothingly through Vin's sweat-soaked curls and  
kissed his temple as he muttered reassurances that all was well for  
the moment. Rage burned through his gut at the thought that the man  
who'd caused all of this trouble was someone out of Vin's worst  
nightmares. If God didn't damn Eli Joe, Chris Larabee sure as hell  
would do it in his stead.

Vin's breath started hitching again and he struggled against the hold  
Chris had on him. "I don't feel so good, cowboy," he groaned and  
turned away just before his stomach heaved and he lost the little bit  
of food he'd managed to choke down before they had left the jail that  
morning.

As soon as he was sure Vin was done, Chris nudged him away from the  
mess and handed his canteen to Vin. The younger man nodded  
gratefully and rinsed his mouth out before taking a few swallows of  
the water. "Lord, I'm a mess," he said shakily. He turned his head  
away but not before Chris saw the brightness of tears in his eyes.

Chris was not about to let him get away with that. He pulled Vin  
back into his arms and kissed each eyelid, tasting the salty moisture  
that clung to the dark fan of lashes beneath his lips. Cupping  
Tanner's chin, he brought his face up and tenderly kissed the  
quivering lips. "You may be a mess but you're *my* mess and that's  
all that matters." Vin snorted again only this time there was a hint  
of laughter behind the sound. Larabee began to move his hands over  
his lover giving comfort as well as assessing for unseen  
injuries. "You hurt anywhere else, pard?" he asked just as Vin  
stiffened and moved away from a caress to his lower right  
side. "Guess that would be a yes," he answered his own question and  
helped Vin shrug out of his coat.

There was a rip in Vin's shirt down under his ribs on the right side  
and blood was slowly soaking into the material. "Damn, looks like  
you got winged by one of the stray shots back there." Vin nodded and  
sagged further into Chris' supportive embrace. Looking around, Chris  
spotted a small copse of trees fifty yards away. "Let's get you over  
in the shade. Make you comfortable. Then I'll see what I can do  
about fixin' you up some before we move out. Sound good?" Vin  
nodded but didn't speak or even raise his eyes to look where Chris  
had indicated. Larabee knew he was still stuck inside the dark place  
in his head where he had been moments away from death. He'd mend the  
outside hurts first and then they would deal with the inside ones  
together.

Getting Tanner up and moving proved to be the most difficult part of  
the task. His shaky legs still protested holding his weight and he  
seemed disoriented at first, weaving along and moving in whatever  
direction Chris steered him with a gentle hand on his back. Vin  
removed his hat and sank gratefully against the trunk of one of the  
inner trees, dropping his head back. His eyes closed and his throat  
worked convulsively as though he was either thirsty or ready to be  
sick again. Chris looked down at him in concern. He needed Vin back  
and functioning if they were going to go after the men who'd deceived  
all of them and to take down Eli Joe for transport back to Texas to  
clear his lover's name once and for all.

Larabee handed Vin a canteen. "Get some more water into ya, Vin.  
I'm gonna go grab the horses before Peso takes it into his fool head  
to wander on back to town without us." Vin nodded without opening  
his eyes and pulled the cork on the canteen. Chris shook his head  
sadly and went back to the horses.

*-*-*-*

Taking a brief moment, Chris looked Peso over for any signs of  
injury. If a stray bullet had grazed Vin, there was a chance that  
the big black could have been similarly wounded. Aside from the  
sweat drying on his coat, the horse was sound, if still tired. Chris  
reached into the saddlebag where he knew Tanner kept a small stash of  
hard candies as treats for the animal and held one out in his palm.  
As Peso crunched contentedly, Chris rubbed his blaze and said, "You  
did good work today, boy. I'm grateful to you for helping to save  
his life." Peso blew through his nostrils and moved his head so  
Chris could give some attention to his ears. Chris chuckled and  
scratched under the horse's bridle. He could practically hear a purr  
emanating from Peso's throat as he hit all of the best spots. After  
a final pat to the proud neck, Larabee tied Pony's reins to Peso's  
saddle and led both horses to the stand of trees where he could see  
Vin slumped exactly as he'd been left.

Larabee ground tied both horses and brought out the small bag of  
medical supplies Nathan had given him before he'd left Four Corners.  
The team's healer knew better than to send any of them off without a  
way of patching themselves up if he wasn't along. Chris also  
unpacked Vin's mare's leg and walked slowly to his companion. "Vin?"  
he called out softly just in case the other man had fallen into a  
light doze.

One blue eye cracked open in acknowledgment before Vin dragged his  
lanky form to sit more upright against the tree trunk. When he  
caught sight of his weapon in Chris' hand both eyes opened wide in  
astonishment, "When'd you get that back?" he rasped.

"Actually it was Josiah. He took it off of Yates before y'all left  
town. R'member when JD tried to stop them takin' you in the first  
place?" Vin nodded. "When Yates rode by lookin' all smug and  
superior, Josiah just reached out and plucked this out of his  
bedroll. Figured you might be needin' it sooner or later."

"I'll have ta remember to thank him fer that. JD, too. He was only  
trying to help. Just didn't realize that it coulda' got me killed  
all that much sooner."

Chris nodded and crouched down next to him, removing his serape as he  
did so. "You ready for me to have a look at that graze?"

Vin sighed resignedly and squinted over at Chris, "If I gotta."

Chuckling quietly, Chris unrolled a small supply of bandages, "Now  
you really don't want to have to explain to Nathan why you were  
riding around without having that seen to, do ya?"

"Why would I have to do the explainin'? You're the one they sent out  
to take care of me," Vin responded as he started unbuttoning his  
shirt.

Chris helped peel the garment away from the wound, "But if you  
weren't such a stubborn … Shit, Tanner!" Chris broke off and  
gasped. "Where the hell did these bruises come from?" One was  
almost dead center in the tracker's back; the other surrounded the  
newly acquired bullet graze. Both were colored angry red and heading  
toward dark purple and black.

Vin mumbled a reply and looked away.

"I didn't quite catch that, pard," Chris prompted.

Tanner sighed. "I reckon I got it when I tried to run from the jail  
this mornin'. They opened the door to feed me and I bolted. Took  
three of 'em down. Woulda' made it, too, if Yates hadn't a' come  
back in and smacked me with his rifle butt."

"Yates did this?" Chris seethed through clenched teeth.

"I reckon he was a might provoked, cowboy."

"Don't matter whether he was provoked or not. He coulda' crippled ya  
with blows like these." Chris ran gentle fingers over the bruise  
closest to his lover's spine.

"Considerin' he was takin' me ta be hanged, and not bein' all legal  
about it, I don't think he much cared whether or not I'se walkin'  
when we got to the nearest tall tree."

"I'll just add that to his growin' list of offenses then," Chris  
growled and added, "When we find these sons a' bitches, you do what  
you want with Eli Joe. Yates is *mine*."

Vin reached out and put a finger under Larabee's cleft chin, pulling  
his face up so they could meet each other's eyes. He read the fury  
and the guilt in the emerald depths of Chris' eyes and knew that this  
was something his lover had to do to appease the demons inside his  
own head for letting things get so out of hand. Without saying a  
word, Vin gave a slight nod and gently cupped Chris' face in his  
hands. Leaning forward, he kissed him gently, his tongue teasing at  
lips drawn tight in anger.

Chris sighed and opened to his lover, letting his tender kisses ease  
the vengeful ache in his own heart.

When they finally broke for air, Chris could feel tears in his own  
eyes, "I was so scared I wouldn't be in time, Vin. So scared that I  
was gonna lose you, just like I lost Sarah and Adam. I couldn't go  
through that again. Not and survive. You brought me back from the  
edge of hell, pard. There'd be no one to stop me goin' over this  
time." His head bowed and he let a few of the tears fall.

Vin swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'se scared, too, cowboy," he  
said affectionately. "I'se more scared than I've ever been. But you  
came and got me. I shoulda' known that somehow you'd do it but I  
couldn't think straight. Especially once I'd seen that bastard, Eli  
Joe. And the rope." Vin took a deep breath. "He confessed to me,  
Chris. Right in front of Yates and his men, Eli Joe confessed that  
he'd framed me for Jess Kincaid's murder."

Chris' head rose at that; tear tracks evident in the dust on his  
cheeks. "You sure they heard him, Vin?"

"He was braggin' about it. Sounded real proud of his'self. Oh yeah,  
they heard it all right," Vin snarled.

Chris' mind was working at full speed now. "Think they'd speak for  
you in front of a judge? Help you clear your name?"

"Dunno," Vin answered quietly. "Sounded to me like Eli Joe might be  
payin' 'em good money to take me down." He looked up again and met  
Chris' eyes, "But I don't suppose it would hurt to ask … if we bring  
any of 'em in alive."

"We'll try," Chris vowed. "For your sake, we'll damn well try." He  
laid a blanket out on the ground and eased Vin onto it face  
down. "Now let's take care of these hurts and get going. All right?"

"Uhm, hm," Vin groaned as he felt strong fingers gently massaging the  
strained muscles in his upper back.

Chris smiled and reached for the canteen. He poured a little water  
onto a clean bandage and wiped gingerly at the bullet graze to clean  
off the blood. Vin flinched and squirmed away. "Easy," he  
soothed, "I know it stings but you don't want this to get infected."  
The clean wound was about three inches long and nothing more than a  
deep graze. No stitches would be required but it was going to be  
painful until it healed up. Chris applied a good dose of Nathan's  
healing ointment to it and covered it with a clean bandage, binding  
it in place with a longer piece of linen, careful not to tie it too  
tight in deference to the sore area of the bruise.

Vin had settled down during his ministrations and was almost  
completely relaxed. "Vin?" Chris asked quietly and received a grunt  
in return. "I can't do much for the bruise around the bullet graze.  
That liniment Nathan puts on our bruises would burn like a  
sonuvabitch if it got into the wound. But I'm gonna rub some into  
the one here on your spine to give you a little relief. Okay?"  
Another grunt signified Tanner's permission to proceed.

Chris warmed the liniment in his hands before going to work. Careful  
in this as in everything else he had done, he was determined to not  
hurt his lover any further and to continue to ease his remaining  
anxiety over the near hanging. He appeared to be successful in both  
pursuits. Every once in a while a small whimper or moan of relief  
passed Vin's lips and his right hand kneaded the blanket like a  
kitten at it's mama's teat. The fact that Vin trusted Chris enough  
to let go to this extent warmed Chris all the way through and he  
increased the massage to encompass the whole of Vin's sinewy back.

Vin's moans of pleasure were starting to get to Chris and he shifted  
for the third time in as many minutes trying to ease the pressure on  
his cock. He couldn't bite back a moan of his own as he stuck his  
hand down the front of his pants and rearranged himself. "Need help  
there, cowboy?" Vin asked looking back over his shoulder.

Meeting those smoky blue eyes, Chris felt the intensity of his  
lover's stare like a caress of warm air across his sensitized skin.  
Projecting his own smoldering heat towards the man lying in front of  
him, he smirked, "Ya think you're up to it, pard?"

Vin rolled carefully to his back displaying the prominent erection  
straining against the front of his tan pants. "I think you could say  
that I am," he growled and reached out a hand.

Not wanting to cause his lover any more pain, Chris arranged Vin's  
coat and his own serape to further cushion Tanner's injured back and  
eased the man down as he flowed up to cover him and take that  
smirking mouth in a passionate kiss. Vin's hands were busy getting  
Chris' shirt open and off of his broad shoulders so he could feel his  
lover skin on skin.

Chris had taken advantage of the fact that Vin was already shirtless  
and while he kissed the stuffing out of his favorite sharpshooter,  
his right hand was busily roaming over Tanner's bare chest. Vin's  
sensitive nipples were lightly pinched and rolled into hard peaks  
before his hand wandered lower and rubbed gently at the taut stomach  
muscles under a scattering of light brown, wiry hair.

Vin attained one of his objectives. Chris' shirt was open now and he  
tore his mouth away from the ferocious kiss to suckle at one of the  
newly exposed tempting nipples. Chris growled and knelt up to remove  
his own shirt before he dropped one hand to his own waistband and one  
to Vin's, a blond eyebrow quirking in a silent question.

One side of Tanner's mouth lifted in a wry grin and he nodded in  
agreement, content to let Chris take the lead in this. Chris flicked  
the buttons of Vin's pants open and eased both the tan trousers and  
the long johns underneath down to mid thigh with a little lift of  
hips on  
Vin's part. Vin's cock was fully erect and lay flat against his  
belly leaving a glistening trail beneath the flushed head.

Popping the buttons on his own black pants open, Chris bent at the  
waist and took the very tip of Vin's penis into his mouth. He  
tongued the weeping slit and his eyes crinkled at the whimper that  
forced itself between Tanner's lips. "Hang on," he said as he knelt  
back up and maneuvered his own pants and underwear down to his  
knees. "I'm comin'."

Vin raised up on his elbows and snorted inelegantly. "Neither of us  
is comin' yet, cowboy, but I figure Christmas might have a chance if  
you don't get a move on."

"Smart-assed Texan," Larabee quipped and teased Vin by running his  
hands over his own chest and cock.

"An' here I thought you liked my 'smart ass', Larabee," Vin gave back  
as good as he got with a big grin on his face. "Now are you gonna  
get over here and do somethin' or are we gonna yank each other's  
chain some more."

Chris chuckled. "Wouldn't mind you yankin' on somethin', pard, but  
it ain't a chain I have in mind." With that he knee-walked his way  
into position and fitted himself to Vin as carefully as he could. He  
looked down into smoky sapphire eyes and smiled gently. "I don't  
think your back is up to anything too strenuous but we should be okay  
if we take this slow. You just tell me if anything hurts and we'll  
try something else. Okay?"

Vin swallowed. Lord, he loved this man. Always on the lookout for  
others, especially if they were hurt or in pain. "Sounds good to me,  
Chris. Now where were we again?"

Lowering his head, Chris claimed Vin's swollen lips in a gentle, but  
no less passionate, kiss than the last one had been. Reaching  
between their bodies, he aligned their cocks and gave a little down  
thrust with his hips. Vin gasped. His arms went around Larabee's  
back, fingers digging into the smooth skin, and he responded with a  
tiny up thrust of his own. Larabee groaned deep in his throat at the  
glorious friction. "That work for ya, Chris?" Vin asked with a smirk.

"I'll show you what works for me," Chris gasped. He wound both fists  
into Tanner's long curls and pulled his head back exposing the  
tracker's stubbled throat. Showing no mercy he proceeded to slowly  
drive Vin out of his mind with kisses, licks and bites to his throat,  
neck and chest.

Vin was a writhing, moaning bundle of need. Chris knew all of the  
spots that drove him wild and was hitting every single one of them  
with the same accuracy he used in a gunfight. Vin's toes were  
curling inside his boots and he was keening with pleasure. His hips  
snapped in a rhythm in tandem with the one Chris was using; the  
friction driving both of them towards completion in a sweaty,  
thundering blaze of glory.

Using what little strength was left in his arms, Vin grabbed his own  
handfuls of Chris' hair and dragged his lover up where he could reach  
Chris' mouth with his own. He plundered Larabee's depths and enticed  
his agile tongue into a mating dance with his own before drawing it  
back into the cavern of his own mouth. He caught the twisting muscle  
between his teeth in a gentle grasp and teased at it while increasing  
the tempo of their thrusts.

Feeling his impending climax starting to boil at the base of his  
spine, Chris gentled the hold he had in Vin's hair and ran soothing  
thumbs down the sweating, straining face below his. Vin's eyes  
opened and Chris could tell he was close, too. "I want you to look  
at me when you come, Vin. I want to be looking into your eyes when  
*I* come," he whispered.

Those gentle words were all it took. Vin gasped, and spasmed hard  
one last time as Chris felt liquid heat spread between their bodies.  
There was no disguising the emotion he saw in Tanner's face at the  
moment of his completion. He'd only seen it in one other person's  
eyes and thought he'd lost it forever when she had died. Nothing on  
earth could have prevented his own orgasm and he knew Vin was seeing  
the exact same feelings in his own eyes. "Vin," he whispered quietly  
as their movements slowed and stopped.

"Chris," came the response in Vin's raspy, beloved voice.

Nothing else needed to be said between the two men. No words could  
express the depth of feeling between them and they knew it.

Chris slid to one side and stared down at the sticky, sated tracker  
lying next to him. "So how's your back?" he asked smugly.

"Back where?" Vin mumbled almost incoherently as sleep started to  
steal over him.

Chris snorted and reached for the canteen one more time. Chris had  
figured Vin wouldn't be good for much afterwards with all of the  
stress of his jail stay and the strain of day they'd both lived  
through today. He grabbed one of the larger, unused bandages and wet  
it thoroughly before cleaning first Tanner and then himself and then  
putting both their trousers back in order.

Vin cracked one eye open. "You got any of that left for later,  
cowboy? I reckon after all of the fluids we just let loose of, we're  
gonna be needing something to drink soon."

"Go to sleep, Tanner. Ol' Chris has everything under control."

"Ya got the old part right," was the last thing out of Vin's mouth  
before he slumped into a healing sleep.

"Smart-assed uppity Texan," Chris chuckled before allowing himself to  
fall into a light doze next to his lover.

oo00oo

Larabee had only waited for Vin to wake from the naps they'd both  
taken after their intense bout of love making before mounting up on  
Pony to see what he could find out about Eli Joe and his band of  
misfits. As far out as he'd ridden, he'd seen no sign of the seven  
men but that didn't mean that they weren't around somewhere waiting  
for their next opportunity to take Tanner out.

He approached the stand of trees at a slow canter, pleased to see  
that Vin was awake, alert, armed and had picked up all signs of their  
brief camp. He was sitting up against the tree trunk again drinking  
from their one full canteen. Vin's mare's leg dropped back to his  
knee as he recognized his lover riding back towards him. Chris rode  
under the tree and swung down from the saddle to take the canteen  
offered to him. After a quick gulp of water he said, "I circled back  
two miles. Looks like they gave up on us."

Tanner nodded, "They're probably fixin' to break camp. Get the hell  
out of here."

"If he's smart that's what they'll do." Chris knelt down next to Vin  
and looked him over.

Vin met Larabee's gaze straight on. "He ain't getting' away this  
time. I'm gonna drag that murderin' sack of dirt back to Texas and  
he's gonna tell the jury the truth."

Chris shook his head, "I don't know, Vin. The truth and Eli Joe  
don't seem like a likely mix."

Vin's eyes never wavered. "I lived with Kiowas and Comanches. I  
know a thing or two 'bout getting' the truth out of people."

Grinning sadistically, Chris said, "I look forward to seeing that."  
Vin nodded his acknowledgment as Chris continued, "Too bad we gotta  
keep him alive … And since we do we'd best get us some help." He  
gave Vin a quick pat on the knee and stood, holding out a strong  
hand, "Come on."

Vin took the offered hand and pulled himself to his feet. "In case I  
didn't say it before … Thanks, Chris. I ain't never had anyone care  
enough to come after me when I been in trouble before. Reckon it's  
something I'm gonna have to get used to."

"Reckon you're right," Chris grinned smugly as they both mounted up.

With Larabee's command of "Let's ride," ringing on the breeze the two  
men began their journey back to Four Corners to bring in  
reinforcements to help in the hunt for Eli Joe to, hopefully, end  
Vin's days of looking over his shoulder once and for all.

7~7~7~7

The End  



End file.
